Contemplative Photography

Nature Devotional

By Rev. Johnny Ray Simon

Johnny Ray Simon is the immediate past president of the Association of Professional Chaplains. Board-certified in 2001, Rev. Simon has a wealth of business and chaplaincy leadership expertise in the field. As a leader and practitioner, he has served across the nation at five healthcare systems. Together with administrative oversight of non-chaplaincy areas in healthcare and 18 years as a pulpit pastor, Rev. Simon, an ordained American Baptist clergy, takes time to slow down and notice the beauty of God's creation through his camera lens.

Still Standing In Spite of...

On a daily walk, I noticed a small tree with a small hole in its trunk. I thought, perhaps, a hole may be missing in my life as I gazed upon the trunk of the tree. I think about the many holes over the course of my life caused by many things that left me wanting, worried, and weary. A hole left by my grief or loss. A hole left by an estranged relationship with one of my children, whom I have no power to mend on my own. Sometimes, the hole feels like a hole in my soul, a cosmic joke without the hah-ha. Other times, I may have felt abandoned by God, and I am alone, forsaken by loved ones and fair-weather friends. I wonder am I able to go further with these holes? Am I still able to stand with these missing things that marred my self-image? Am I able to still grow in spiritual resilience when life has carved a hole into my sense of self? My self-acceptance?

Yes!
Yes, I can still stand and grow by God’s grace, love, and power! You can, too.

Gaze upon the tree with me— draped in sunlight at evening tide. 

As I lifted my eyes to my wonderment, I saw another tree with a bigger hole, yet by its height, it still grew. And here, my heart began to feel the flow of the Spirit within me. A holy-knowing yet unknowing that drew my attention. It stopped me in my tracks with a message being spoken. The trees were speaking. I hear them deep within this mysterious knowing. Sometimes, life can make us feel like this small tree in the lower left of the photo riddled with holes.  Even those around us may have similar holes, like the taller tree in the right rear of the photo. In my holy imagination, I see two trees in conversation, with the smaller tree taking courage from the taller one—who seems just like her, with even bigger holes and all, but she is still standing and growing.

Thought:
One can still have holes of ‘fear and fighting’ within and without, as Apostle Paul says, “For, when we came came into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears”
(2 Cor. 7:5). Yet we can still stand by the grace and power of Jesus Christ, who is within by the Holy Spirit. 

Musings:
~ Do you have any holes of trouble or fears that are presently holding you back, or making you feel un-whole as a person loved by God?
~ Can you trust that your Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer, Christ the Lord, can indeed continue His work within you in spite of these things?
~ Will you trust Jesus now who promised my strength is made perfect in your weakness (2 Cor.12:9)?

Take courage, my soul. Trust in God at all times!